Method and apparatus for continuous run treatment of sheet materials



E. J. FISHER Sept. 13, 1949.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINUOUS RUN TREATMENT OF SHEET MATERIALS Filed Feb. 25, 1945 lJENToR.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNE S.

E- J. FISHER Sept. 13, 1949.

US on CONTINUOUS RUN TREATMENT OF SHEET MATERIALS METHOD AND APPARAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1945 OR. 1 16/? er;

INVENT ATTORNE S.

Patented Sept. 13, 1949 ilN-iillilltii METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTINU- OUS RUN TREATMENT OF SHEET MATE- RIALS Earl J. Fisher, Clarksvilie, Va.

Application February 23, 1945, Serial No. 579,472

9 Claims. (Cl. 242-55) This invention relates to improvements in a method and apparatus for the continuous processing of fabric or sheet material.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of means and a method for the continuously operating processing of fabric or other like sheet material wherein the latter are fed from rolls at the feed end of the apparatus and again rolled at the take-off end of the apparatus whereby it will not be necessary to stop the operation or processing of the goods or materials; thereby increasing production; preventing waste of materials, etc., and eliminating defects in the material.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

In the drawings, forming a part of this specification, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the normal operating relation of the fabrics or material being processed from the feed end of the machine to the take-off end.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views showing the preparation steps for the rolling of the goods or material upon a shell later adapted to be placed at the feed end of the equipment incidental to processing of the material.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the feed end of the equipment or apparatus and the manner in which the material of a new roll is spliced or connected to the material on a roll which has been feeding material through the equipment for processing while maintaining the material under the desired tension during the processing operation.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view at the take-oft end of the equipment or apparatus showing material rolled upon a shell to the extent desired; a seam designating the end of the roll length.

Figures '7 and 8 are succeeding steps showing the handling of the material at the take-01f end of the equipment.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the rolls or shells at the take-off end of equipment, showing the drive clutch arrangements therefor.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary view, partly diagrammatic, showing a compensating device for maintaining the material under proper tension at the take-off end of the equipment during the roll changing operation.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown but a preferred embodiment of the invention, the letter A may generally designate the equipment by means of which the material is continuously fed, without stoppage, through a processing operation. The equipment A preferably comprises a frame l0 upon which a roll of material II is rotatably mounted for feed of the fabric or other material upon the roll to intermediate units of the equipment. It is to be understood that I may process or handle fabric, paper, or other sheet materials which are flexibly rolled upon a shell. The present continuous process, however, has specific reference to the handling of cloth upon rolls and the associated units may handle the material for finishing operations; the application of pigment dyes, pad ding or special finishes in a continuous process. I provide a V-shaped dye unit I2 having suitable uide rollers l3 associated therewith over which the cloth or material from the roller l I is trained and carried into the dyeing unit ii for pigment dye application. Therefrom the cloth or textile material travels between squeeze rolls l4 and into a unit l5 which may be a drier, or any other unit intended to perform a step in processing the material. From the opposite end of the unit IS the material extends over a guide roller l6 and thence under a guide roller l1 whence it is rolled at 20 upon a shell 2| mounted upon a frame portion 22. It will be noted from Figure 1 that the rolls I l and 20 are shown in positions they will assume during a major part of the processing. The material, of course. is handled diflerently when applying a new. roll at the feed end of the machine and also when a roll is completed and to be dismounted at the take-off end of the machine.

As a preparation step for rolling the material to be fed to the equipment at the feed end of the machine, I provide a frame diagrammatically illustrated at 35 in Figures 2. 3 and 4 of the drawings, rotatably supporting upper and lower shells 38 and 31. These shells may be moved by any approved means (not shown) along the frame 35 and it is a primary essential that the shell 38 may be vertically lifted away from the shell 31.

The fabric material, designated 38 in Figures '2, 3 and 4 of the drawings, is trained over a roller 40 as it comes from the drier or tenter frame and is then rolled upon the shell 38 for approximately yards. This length is not critical, but will be hereinafter mentioned. After sufilcient material has been wound upon the shell 36, the latter is raised to the position shown in Figure 3 and the material in the location between the shell 38 and the guide roll 40 is then brought downwardly and trained around the shell 31. The latter is then a double superposed ply of material extending for approximately 100 yards in length at the core of the roll.

It is essential to maintain a well regulated tension upon the cloth or material during processing between the feed and take-off ends of the equipment. To that end, the material must be carefully handled at the feed end of the machine when splicing the cloth from a new roll to the cloth upon the roll about to be exhausted. That is true at the take-off end of the machine when the roll has been completed and the cloth is to be severed and a new shell positioned for taking the succeeding material.

Referring to the mode of splicing the material when applying a new roll of material at the feed end of the machine, in Eigmis shown a shell 31 upon which material has been rolled according to the preparation steps outlined in Figures 2, 3 and 4. As the material is unrolled towards the core of the roll the ply or end 45 first rolled upon the shell, as indicated at 36 in Figure 2 of the drawings, drops into a suitable pan or container 41. The shell 31 is, of course, under suitable control, by means not shown, so that the desired tension is maintained upon the material being processed thru the units l2--l5, etc. The end 01 the material shown at 45 is then brought into position and spliced at 50, as by sewing or any other approved means (according to the nature of the material upon the roll) to the end 5| of a roll of material placed upon the supporting The frame structure at the take-off end of the machine comprises the frame 22 above mentioned, upon which a shell 2| is rotatably mounted in detachable relation in any suitable manner well known to those skilled in the art; the same being associated with drive shafting 60 and a clutch 6| connected to a suitable power source. The frame structure also includes a frame 62 having an initial winding shell 63 rotatably positioned thereon and driven from a suitable power source thru a clutch 64, as shown in Figure 9. In normal operation, the material is wound upon the shell 2| to form a roll which is completed when the splice or seam 50 reaches the roll 20. This is shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. Just prior to cutting along the scam the clutch Si is thrown to an out position and the clutch 64 is thrown "in to key the shell 63 with the power source.

The seam 50 is cut, usually manually by an operator with scissors. The end of the material coming from the machine is then wound upon the shell 63, as shown in Figure 7. During the severing of the material of the completed roll and the winding upon the shell 63, the compensatin: equipment shown in the drawings comes into play. This consists of a compensating bar 10 and two stationary rods 10". The former is connected at its ends upon suitable cables H and 12; the latter being trained upon overhead pulleys I3 and I4 respectively carried upon an idler shaft I5 upon the frame 16. A weighted bar '18 is connected to the opposite ends of the cables H and 12; the same being of just sumcient weight to maintain a desired tension upon the material coming thru the equipment and to take up the slack of the material fed from the unit l5 during the period that the severing, and winding operation upon the shell 83 is completed. This compensating mechanism raises the material for five to ten yards, depending upon the nature of the material and the time it will require to sever the material from a completed roll; remove the latter and connect the material upon the auxiliary shell 63. The roll 20, as above mentioned, is removed from the frame 22 and another shell is substituted therefor. The material is then doubled; one ply 11 coming from the shell 63 and theother ply 18 coming direct from the machine, as'shown in Figure 8, this double ply then being wound upon the newly substituted shell 2|, shown in Figure 8. It should be noted that as the material is wound upon the idler shell 63 and taken therefrom for wrapping in double ply fashion, as shown in Figure 8, upon the shell 2|, the compensating bar 10 will be drawn to a down position inasmuch as the tension upon the goods is such as to bring this bar to a down position, the weight 18, of course, being accurately calibrated to take care of this. After the ply I1 is unrolled from the shell 63, the completion of the roll 2| proceeds as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The advantages obtained thru the continuous operation above described prevents waste of material, increases production and eliminates roll marks and defects. Those skilled in the art to which this invention relates know that present methods relating to run of cloth thru the processes above specifically described, leave marks on the goods at each end of the roll; cause intermediate roll marks, and in the case of padding or special finishes, damage the cloth for a distance between the padder and drier, and leave roll marks in the drier incident to machine stoppage.

Various changes in the steps of the method above described and in the shape, size and alteration of parts of the equipment utilized in practicing the method may be made to the invention as herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. The step in the preparation of rolling flexible fabric or sheet material for continuous run processing which consists in initially rolling a predetermined amount of the material upon a roll which in amount is appreciably less than a complete roll of the material; doubling the material upon itself between the said roll and source and rolling it in double ply to form a portion of a second roll wherein one ply comes from the source and the second ply from reverse rotation of the first mentioned roll, and continuing rolling the material coming merely from the source upon the second roll to completion after exhaustion of the material from the first mentioned roll.

2. A continuous run method for processing and treating flexible textile or sheet material which consists of rolling the material at the core portion only of a roll in doubled relation upon itself EXAMlNtR so as to leave one free end ply extending for a predetermined distance around the core of the roll; completing the roll in single ply relation to the desired thickness; unrolling the material from the roll and processing it thru one or more treating or processing steps while under desired tension and continuing the unrolling and treating thereof until the double ply portion is reached and then splicing the free ply at the core of the roll as it is unrolled to the outer circumferential end of another roll, while continuing the unrolling and processing.

3. A continuous run method for processing and treating flexible textile or sheet material which consists of rolli g the material at the core portion only of a 011 in doubled relation upon itself so as to leave one free end ply extending for a predetermined distance around the core of the roll; completing the roll in a single ply relation to the desired thickness; unrolling the material from the roll and processing it thru one or more treating or processing steps while under desired tension and continuing the unrolling and treating thereof until the double ply portion is reached and then splicing the free ply at fiecore' of the roll as it is unrol ed to the outer circumferential end of another oil while continuing the unrolling and processing, back rolling upon the newly positioned roll the ply being unrolled from the roll which is feeding in the processing step until the material is exhausted from the first mentioned roll and then in continuance permitting the unrolling of the material from the newly substituted roll.

4. A continuous run method for processing and treating flexible textile or sheet material which consists of rolling the material at the core portion only of a roll in doubled relation upon itself so as to leave one free end ply extending for a predetermined distance around the core of the roll; completing the roll in single ply relation to the desired thickness; unrolling the material from the roll and processing it thru one or more treating or processing steps while under desired tension and continuing the unrolling and treating thereof until the double ply portion is reached and then splicing the free ply at the core of the roll as it is unrolled to the outer circumferential end of another roll while continuing the unrolling and processing, back rolling upon the newly positioned roll the ply being unrolled from the roll which is feeding in the processing step until the material is exhausted from the first mentioned roll and then in continuance permitting the unrolling of the material from the newly substituted roll, rolling the material at the take-ofl point to form a completed roll while maintaining the material coming to said roll under predetermined desired tension, severing the material when the roll is completed and rolling the end coming from the machine upon another roll while maintaining the material coming to the last mentioned roll under desired processing tension; and thereafter providing a roll of double ply upon another roll; one ply of which extends directly from the processing step to the last mentioned roll and the other ply of which comes from the reverse movement of the roll second to last mentioned, and completing said rolling until the material is exhausted from the second to last mentioned roll and thence continuing and completing the roll being formed.

5. In a continuous non-stopping treatment of cloth or other like materials, the method which consists of rolling the material doubled upon itself upon a roll at the core portion thereof for a desired length and completing the rolling of the material to the desired extent thereafter; feeding said material thru various processing or treating steps and rolling the same from said roll until the inner doubled end of the material starts to unroll, and then splicing said end to the starting end of material in a succeeding roll formed the same as the roll first mentioned.

6. The method of continuously running cloth or other sheet or like material from rolls thru a processing or treating equipment which consists in severing a roll when completed at the takeoff end of the equipment; rolling succeeding material coming from the equipment to start a new roll and during the severing and new rolling operations taking up the slack of material in advance thereof as it comes from the processing in the equipment and thereafter rolling the material in double ply as it comes from the equipment and from back running the material from the roll last mentioned to form a new roll, and completing the rolling of the material upon the said new roll to the desired thickness.

7. In mechanism for handling the continuous run treatment of material such as cloth, the combination of a treating unit or units thru which the material is run, a frame, a roll upon the frame upon which the material is rolled to the desired degree as it comes from the treating unit or units, said roll then being appropriately severed from the material coming from the treating unit, compensating means for receiving the material as it comes from the treating unit or units at time of severance of the material from a completed roll whereby to maintain the material under desired tension as it is fed thru and from the treating unit or units,- and means for thereafter rolling the material including an auxiliary roll upon which the material is first rolled to a predetermined length and a second roll upon which the material is rolled in a double ply core section in which one ply is back rolled from the auxiliary roll and the second ply comes from the treating unit or units.

8. In a continuous run method of processing and treating flexible textile or sheet material, the steps of providing a roll of flexible sheet material wherein the core portion only of the roll is rolled in a double web portion to leave one free end ply extending for a predetermined distance around the core of the roll, which consists in processing the material as it is unrolled from the roll while under desired tension and continuing the unrolling and processing thereof until the double ply portion is reached, and then splicing the free end of the free end ply as it is unrolled to the outer end of another roll while continuing the unrolling and processing of the first roll.

9. In a continuous run method of processing and treating flexible textile or sheet material, the steps of providing a roll of flexible sheet material wherein the core portion only of the roll is rolled in a double web portion to leave one free end ply extending for a predetermined distance around the core of the roll, which consists in processing the material as it is unrolled from the roll while under desired tension and continuing the unrolling and processing of the first roll, rolling the material at the takeup point after processing to form a completed roll while maintaining the material coming to the roll at the takeup point under predetermined desired tension, severing the material when the roll at the takeup point is completed and rolling the free end of the 7 material coming from the processing at the takeofi point upon a temporary roll while maintaining the material coming to said last mentioned roll under desired processing tension, thereafter providing a roll of double ply upon another roll at the takeoff point, one ply of which extends directly from the processing step to said double ply roll and the other ply of which comes from the reverse movement of the temporary roll, continuing said rolling last mentioned until the material is exhausted from the temporary roll, and thereafter continuing and completing the roll at the takeup point being formed in the last mentioned rolling step with material coming diroot from the processing step.

EARL J. FISHER.

8 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,866,585 Tenney July 12, 1932 2,062,008 Lewis et al. Nov. 24, 1936 10 2,195,008 Lessman Mar. 26, 1940 2,357,389 Ferm Sept. 5, 1944 

